Due to mounting evidence that community health workers (CHWs) can improve health outcomes, increase access to health care, and control medical costs, states are increasingly engaging their CHW workforce to replicate those successes at the state level. However, the policies and programs that regulate and pay for CHWs differ dramatically across states, and states facing difficulties advancing CHW initiatives can gain insights from the experiences of other programs across the country.

The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) recently up-dated its State Community Health Worker Models Map, and is currently identifying innovative state strategies that have helped CHW initiatives meet their goals. This case study, which explores payment models for CHWs conducting home visits in Minnesota, New York, Utah, and Washington State, is the second in a series of products that highlight those CHW program strategies.